The majority of children and adolescents are using a plethora of AI tools these days, including chatbots and AI-powered tools that summarize information, according to a new report from the nonprofit organization Common Sense Media called “AI Usage by Tweens and Teens.” This organization ranks the safety of children’s entertainment and technology.
81% of 9-12 year olds, 89% of 13-15 year olds, and 92% of 16-17 year olds say they use or interact with AI. Almost a third, or 29%, of 13-17 year olds use this technology every day.
“It’s clearly already a very prominent part of childhood,” said Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense Media.
The organization says children who use these tools use them to seek advice about future decisions, practice social interactions and talk about feelings and personal issues.
And a majority (57%) say they have used AI to get information and advice about their health and body. Rob and child psychiatrist and author Susan Song explain why they think this is concerning and what they say parents can do about it.
“Some children have a very natural instinct to avoid embarrassment.”
Common Sense Media does not study the specific health and body questions children are asking AI. However, a September 2025 OpenAI report titled “How People Use ChatGPT” lists prompts such as the following as examples of what people have asked bots in the health, beauty, fitness, and self-care categories.
“How to trim eyebrows” “What skin care is effective for oily skin?” “How can I improve my cardiovascular function?”
From accessibility to anonymity, experts say there are many reasons why children in particular rely on AI for health and physical matters.
There are so many choices about what kind of AI to use, Rob says, and it’s easy to get. It’s a fun experience to interact with them. They “subtly emphasize what people want to hear in an answer through varying degrees of flattery,” he says.
And children often have mixed feelings about asking such intimate questions in the first place. “Some children have a very natural instinct to avoid embarrassment and to not put themselves at risk to their parents or others,” he says.
“Our biology is such that we are rewarded when we look deeply into people.”
However, there is a problem with this phenomenon.
First, “AI tends to sound very confident in its answers, and children don’t necessarily know that the AI can be wrong or know the difference between right and wrong answers,” says Rob. AI could end up misleading them, Robb says.
Second, although Common Sense Media found that 73% of children would first consult a trusted adult before relying on AI, some children may develop the habit of relying solely on this technology, Robb says.
This is concerning, Song says, because AI cannot provide the kind of connections that children need to cultivate.
“Our biological makeup rewards us when we look deeply into a person, when we experience deeply all their flaws,” she says. That’s not the case with this technology.
Relationships are messy, too, but that awkwardness helps children learn about themselves and the world. “Identity is formed by friction between peers and parents,” Song said, adding that AI “smoothes out all that friction.”
“Remind kids that they are not alone in AI.”
Some AI companies are starting to put guardrails in place regarding children’s use. For example, ChatGPT includes various parental controls, such as setting times when chat is unavailable and reducing the availability of sensitive content.
Be curious when it comes to helping kids navigate what kinds of conversations are okay to have with AI and what kinds of conversations are best with humans, say Robb and Song.
Ask children questions such as “How do you use AI? What do you see? What do you think is the best way to use it?” Rob says. Then expand on questions like, “Have you considered asking people first? Why?” Mr. Song says: “If you could ask that question of anyone in your life, who would it be?”
She says this helps “remind kids that they’re not alone in AI.” “They’re built into relationships, and that sense of belonging is really important.”
Do you want to get ahead at work? Next, you need to learn how to make effective small talk. In CNBC’s new online course, “How to Talk to People at Work,” expert instructors share practical strategies for using everyday conversations to increase visibility, build meaningful relationships, and accelerate career growth. Sign up now!
